Bilateral consultations in the field of security policy were held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia between the Foreign Ministries of Serbia and the Italian Republic.
The host of the consultations, Ambassador Branimir Filipovic, Acting Assistant Minister for Security Policy headed the delegation of the Serbian Foreign Ministry while Diego Brasioli, Deputy Director General – Principal Director for Security, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, headed the Italian delegation.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries including the intensity and substance of the dialogue at all levels regarding mutual commitment to further strengthening of cooperation in all areas of common interest. The Italian side confirmed its support to the advancement of the European integration of the Republic of Serbia and its steady efforts to maintain regional peace and stability.

The consultations focused on a wide range of issues related to regional stability and cooperation as well as on addressing the security challenges and jointly assessed that peace and stability represented a key precondition for economic and other types of progress in the region as a whole.

Other issues in the field of security policy were also discussed with emphasis on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue with both sides agreeing that the dialogue is the only proper way to reach a compromise and sustainable solution conducive to the regional stability, refraining at the same time from unilateral acts that undermine this process. Also discussed was the role of KFOR in Kosovo and Metohija, the results of partnership-for-peace cooperation between Serbia and NATO, arms control issues, disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction including new tendencies in the context of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy and experiences of Serbia and Italy in this respect, with special emphasis on the importance of peace missions and operations.

It was also agreed that this established format of security consultations between the two Ministries should be continued and held at least once a year, thereby deepening mutual trust on a continuous basis.